Music to Your Ears

Austin County Limits

If Austin, Texas, has two things going for it, it's barbecue and live music. Here in Albuquerque, The County Line (9600 Tramway NE) has long served as an outpost for Austin's mesquite-smoked meats. But that's only half of the equation. To get the true flavor of a Texas barbecue in your craw, you need electric guitars ringing in your ears.

This summer, the County Line Music Series is emphasizing rock and roll in the Texas tradition: American stories told with soul and a little twang.

You can hear that breed of honest-to-goodness music live on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. as The County Line imports a different artist every week until August. The concerts are sponsored by your pals here at the Alibi, along with Giant Convenience Stores and KRST.

The concerts are free, but y'all are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to be donated to Roadrunner Food Bank. And you'd be wise to bring enough cash for a plate of ribs and a beer—though Shiner will have to substitute for Lone Star.

For directions and other useful information, visit the County Line website at countyline.com or call 856-7477.

The Man in the Mirror

Every jukebox in every gin joint on the planet was set to Michael Jackson the night of Thursday, June 25. Just like it used to be. Remember when Michael Jackson was broadcast 24 hours a day for all the right reasons?

In a way, I was relieved to hear he'd died; the way you feel after a long-suffering relative passes. His retreat into the singularly dark, agonizing weirdness of the last 15 years has ended. The uncertain future of Michael Jackson, The Catatonic Lost Boy, is over and buried. Now we can get back to attempting to grasp the musical legacy of Michael Jackson with both hands.

At the end of the day, he was the greatest entertainer the world has ever known. And what an amazing coincidence that he made that mark during our lifetimes.